Hi, I read your reply and it appears that you have not been able to check the PICAXE offerings out yourself. Firstly, they were designed for school children, also to cut the costs dramatically of using Arduinos and similar, plus making them simpler to use. They start at around US$3, and, as I have found out, myself are very robust, so that children can use them safely...Also, they can use "Shields" from other products if needed. From Wikipedia:-PICAXE is a microcontroller system based on a range of MicrochipPICmicrocontrollers. PICAXE devices are essentially Microchip PIC devices, with pre-programmed firmware that enables bootloading of code directly from a PC, simplifying hobbyist embedded development (not unlike the Arduino and ParallaxBASIC Stamp systems). PICAXE devices ha...

Hi, I read your reply and it appears that you have not been able to check the PICAXE offerings out yourself. Firstly, they were designed for school children, also to cut the costs dramatically of using Arduinos and similar, plus making them simpler to use. They start at around US$3, and, as I have found out, myself are very robust, so that children can use them safely...Also, they can use "Shields" from other products if needed. From Wikipedia:-PICAXE is a microcontroller system based on a range of MicrochipPICmicrocontrollers. PICAXE devices are essentially Microchip PIC devices, with pre-programmed firmware that enables bootloading of code directly from a PC, simplifying hobbyist embedded development (not unlike the Arduino and ParallaxBASIC Stamp systems). PICAXE devices have been produced by Revolution Education (Rev-Ed) since 1999.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PICAXEI am not trying to "force you" in any way, but I do feel that your excellent instructable would be even better for your "followers" , it they were also covered. For around $20 you can start, with many "parts" from other types also usable with the PICAXE versions, but your choice of course!I was fascinated by electronics at at early age and later worked for many years in the computer industry in Europe. Being retired, PICAXE is my choice of chip nowadays at almost 72 years old.It is not new to instructables, see here:- https://www.instructables.com/howto/PICAXE/I wish you a great day.RegardsAndyPS. No need to reply unless you wish to....

Great instructable which will help many. Also,if you update your text here, may I suggest that you add in the system called PICAXE as well. The chips are the cheapest on the market that can still be easily and very cheaply connected to a PC via a USB or a serial port connection, for programming and debugging..... All the NEEDED software is free to download. All the HUGE manuals are free to download. Chip prices are in the pocket money range....Available in most countries...They run an extensive version of their own BASIC, easy to understand and will run on practically and old PC or Laptop, most old Window OSs, even really old ones, as long as there is a simple text editor. Thy may even work on other OSs, I haven't tried. Once you have a the old laptop and the download cable, the interfa...

Great instructable which will help many. Also,if you update your text here, may I suggest that you add in the system called PICAXE as well. The chips are the cheapest on the market that can still be easily and very cheaply connected to a PC via a USB or a serial port connection, for programming and debugging..... All the NEEDED software is free to download. All the HUGE manuals are free to download. Chip prices are in the pocket money range....Available in most countries...They run an extensive version of their own BASIC, easy to understand and will run on practically and old PC or Laptop, most old Window OSs, even really old ones, as long as there is a simple text editor. Thy may even work on other OSs, I haven't tried. Once you have a the old laptop and the download cable, the interface is just a few resistors that can be included on the breadboard or printed circuit! I use them mostly on breadboads.The Microprocessors start at 8 pins up to 40 pins, with many even high speedsup to 64 MHz!http://www.picaxe.com/What-Is-PICAXEEnjoy and many thanks for your great instructable!Andy

I know, thats why I posted the picture. The point I was trying to make was that your design does not have one, a major source of danger to family and pets.That the USA has a different name was covered fully in the Wiki article I posted......I saw no reason to cover that again.So how about changing your design to have an RCD in it as the final sockets (the reason for that picture) ?Remember, 30 ma is considered to be the top end of safety for a ver short term shock, which is why so many are set to trip at that poin, and to completely remove the mains in a few milli secondst. Your system can supply many times that!! I saw a 50 amp fuse somewhere!Safety must always be the primary work ethic. Especially on instructables.I wish you a great day.Andy

Really nice instructable, thanks for sharing.May I suggest that the installation of an RCD would make the installation far safer for everyone, Children, pets as well as adults!They can even be bought as a dual socket for some regions.See here:- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Residual-current_dev...I personally have not had a house or a caravan without one since 1976, when I first learned about them! See pictures!RegardsAndy

I am at loss, to find the right words to compliment you with, so all you are going to get is TOTALLY BRILLIANT!I could never have thought of such a brilliant but simple design......I am pretty sure that a blind person would be "up and running" (so to say!) in a really short time, a bit more freedom for them.Very well done and best regards fromAndy

Really great idea, I like it and you explained really well. Many thanks.But as a general rule, never use a grindstone for anything other than normal iron or steel. With any other metal, and certain types of stainless steel, the metal can build up and cause the grindstone to basically explode apart!!Soft things like plastics can do the same.Be safe!!

I like your ideas, and due to you being careful in using 13.8 volts, your lead acid battery will last a hell of a long time, even if its not a full charge (which cuts the working life dramatically!!). Very similar to what I use (13.6 volts) on my own designs.I switch my charger off automatically from the mains once the battery is between 13.6 and 12.6 volts. 12.6v is apparently where Sulfation starts according to some Battery manufacturers....I am sure that your design will find a lot of very happy users here on Instructables, very well done!Thanks for sharing.

Nice instructable, thanks for sharing.Some are new to me, some are not.If you would like a new one, I have used toothpaste to "shed heat" from pieces of metal (usually jewelry), so that one older repair/or joint is not damaged by the heat of a new one close to the other one....as heat travels fast over short distances in gold and silver....Also, you can make your own thermal paste for PCs and the like, check here:-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZ6mQVnqNpwThen you can post :- "10 or maybe 11 Unusual Uses for Toothpaste!"RegardsAndy

Putting a burn under water always helps, what was not mentioned is that it can take several hours to become effective.....Plus the water must be soothing, not hot or cold.I take a long bath, adjusting the temperature carefully.Kids I also put in the bath, and tell the to play for some hours.The test is, "does it still sting? If yes, back in the bath.I have used a T shirt kept very wet for some hours for my back, the next day, the areas NOT covered by it were red, but the main part looked as though I had not even been in the sun......This works for any burn, not just sun burn.This is a very good instructable.The next time, for smaller burns, I will try Earl Grey too.But how about an update for the time it takes? The worse the burn, the longer the treatment!!Many thanks.PS. The lady ...

Putting a burn under water always helps, what was not mentioned is that it can take several hours to become effective.....Plus the water must be soothing, not hot or cold.I take a long bath, adjusting the temperature carefully.Kids I also put in the bath, and tell the to play for some hours.The test is, "does it still sting? If yes, back in the bath.I have used a T shirt kept very wet for some hours for my back, the next day, the areas NOT covered by it were red, but the main part looked as though I had not even been in the sun......This works for any burn, not just sun burn.This is a very good instructable.The next time, for smaller burns, I will try Earl Grey too.But how about an update for the time it takes? The worse the burn, the longer the treatment!!Many thanks.PS. The lady below somewhere who said it does not work, simply did not do it for long enough. In an emergency even a good moisturizer can help, but water is best and lots of it!! Take your time.

I'm guessing, but you might think about painting or sealing the wood first maybe. Or maybe ultra fine grain wood might be best....Just a thought....I have not yet done this myself, but your experiences will help me too I feel...regardsAndy

Very well thought out and the end result is superb.Thanks for sharing.Andy

Like it!! Really simple and very effective....might try it later on this year.....many thanks for your idea.Sadly the idea with the fan to cool the beer will not help much, it may even warm the beer up as just using a fan, will (at best!) only take the beer to the temperature of the air around it. You need something wet, to allow evaporation, which will cool say a beer can.....maybe a thin "jacket" made of wet foam rubber? I haven't tried it out for effectiveness though! But thats the direction needed.Also a small fan could be driven by a small solar cell, provided you are a fair weather fisherman like me nowadays!! :-)Again, super idea, thanks for sharing, a really good instructable!!Andy

I am glad that you took my suggestions on board in such a Friendly manner, many thanks.You obviously understand my "direction" completely, well done!The time you spent getting your version made and running, will stand you in good stead for some other project and I am sure, nothing will get wasted!!I have been guilty of over thinking a fix myself from time to time.Have a great day.Andy

I would like to give you some food for thought, why do you need to "track" the sun with such a system?The sun is at the same horizontal angle to any particular spot on the earth, every day of the year, at the same time, if you ignore summer and winter time.......That is say at midday (forgetting slight differences due to countrywide time), the sun will be at its highest, but at the same horizontal angle, each and every day!The only difference is the height (elevation) of the sun, higher in summer and lower in winter generally, with slight differences for the equator.....Converting a 24 hour clock time to an angle of 360° , will always find the sun's direction, even when its thick cloud and even at night!!! (Think about it!) 12 midday, will usually be 180° for those liv...

I would like to give you some food for thought, why do you need to "track" the sun with such a system?The sun is at the same horizontal angle to any particular spot on the earth, every day of the year, at the same time, if you ignore summer and winter time.......That is say at midday (forgetting slight differences due to countrywide time), the sun will be at its highest, but at the same horizontal angle, each and every day!The only difference is the height (elevation) of the sun, higher in summer and lower in winter generally, with slight differences for the equator.....Converting a 24 hour clock time to an angle of 360° , will always find the sun's direction, even when its thick cloud and even at night!!! (Think about it!) 12 midday, will usually be 180° for those living in the northern or southern hemisphere, if 360° is taken as being midnight!Even adjusting the elevation about 4 times a year by hand, will still achieve a similar efficiency to a complicated sun tracker's elevation.......as it will still point at the sun, even with cloud!Sun trackers often have problems when there is cloud, or an eclipse or even someone standing in the way!!!I hope that I have explained it enough for you to understand fully, that tracking the sun is really a series of "knowns"......therefore "K.I.S.S!Sorry to be so boring...... :-) You did a good job, but I feel too complicated! But do have a great day.Best regardsAndy